Having Unprotected Sex

Most people become infected with HIV through sexual activity. You can contract AIDS by not using a
condom
when having sexual relations with a person infected with HIV. Not using condoms properly can also put you at increased risk for acquiring HIV infection. During sex, the vagina, vulva, penis, rectum, and mouth can provide entry points for the virus.

Other behaviors associated with higher risk include:

Sexual relationship with a high-risk individual or a partner already infected with HIV

Multiple sexual partners

Sex with someone who has more than one sexual partner

Sex without using a condom including vaginal and anal sex

Having other sexually transmitted diseases

Injecting illegal drugs, especially with used or dirty needles

Regular exposure to HIV-contaminated blood or other body fluids

Being born to an HIV-infected mother

Living in or being from a geographic locations with high numbers of AIDS patients

For men, not being
circumcised
can also increase the risk of getting HIV infection.

Having Certain Medical Procedures

Having a
blood transfusion
or receiving blood products before 1985 increases your risk of HIV infection and AIDS. Before blood banks began testing donated blood for HIV in 1985, there was no way of knowing if the blood was contaminated with HIV, and recipients could become infected through transfusions.
Even though blood products are now screened for HIV, there is still some degree of risk because tests cannot detect HIV immediately after transmission.

Although it is uncommon, tissue or organ transplantation and artificial insemination increase your risk of HIV infection and AIDS.

Being a Healthcare Worker

Exposure to contaminated blood and needles puts healthcare workers at risk for HIV.

Know Your Status

It is important to be screened and know your HIV status. Your doctor can help you be tested. There are also ways to be anonymously tested such as community clinics or home testing kits that do not require your identification.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

A guide to primary care of people with HIV/AIDS. National Institute of Health and Human Services website. Available at: http://hab.hrsa.gov/deliverhivaidscare/files/primary2004ed.pdf. Accessed May 15, 2013.

HIV and AIDS. American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at:
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/hiv-and-aids.html. Updated December 2010. Accessed May 15, 2013.

HIV/AIDS. Center for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/index.html. Accessed May 15, 2013.